Ugh it is past 4 am, I have to be up in a little over two hours, which sucks considering that I think I've had maybe an hour of sleep so far because I woke up crying because I was in so much pain. All I could find for pain relief was a single Aleve, which I took but OTC medication never does anything when things are this bad anyway and I'm out of vicodin, but vicodin only works like half the time so whatever. Do you ever feel like it's just not possible to be in your body anymore? I've given up on sleep and I'm running a bath but I know that when it's this bad there's really nothing that's going to help anyway. I want to call in sick but I need the money and feel guilty.

_________________"No one with hair so soft and glossy could ever be bad at anything." - Tofulish

Hey PPK I need feedback about personal health matters and obviously you guys are who I consult. (I am also going to the doctor soon for an unrelated matter, so I'll probably bring it up with her too, but everyone on the internet is an MD, right?)

I have always HATED the idea of going on hormonal birth control, especially because I wouldn't be using it to prevent pregnancy anyway. But my periods are AWFUL. Super heavy and my cramps are so bad that I can't walk and I just cry for hours and want to die. Also I'm anemic which I'm pretty sure is related to how heavy my periods are. (Like, you know how diva cups are supposed to be able to stay in for 12 hours? I have times when I have to empty mine after less than an hour.) So I am really thinking about going on some sort of birth control pill and never ever having a period again. Except the idea of forking with my hormones terrifies me, and I don't like using medication when it's not necessary, especially from a vegan perspective. But also my skin has been a disaster lately and maybe I could use that one that helps with acne? That would be cool. I don't know. Ok everyone make health decisions for me now?

_________________"No one with hair so soft and glossy could ever be bad at anything." - Tofulish

Well, I used to take Ortho Tri-Cyclen for exactly that reason. It definitely made my periods a LOT lighter/less crampy, plus yeah, it did clear up my skin. Unfortunately it also made my boobs puff up a size (they were not small to begin with!) and gave me noticeable mood swings. After 3 or 4 years I started getting TWO full-on periods a month, so I went to the doc and he said something like "Oh yeah, that happens sometimes when you've been on the pill for a while." what the fizzle?! So I switched to a different pill, took that for maybe a year and the mood swings were even worse so I decided to quit taking HBC pills altogether. I don't regret going off the pill because I no longer feel like a psycho, but the cramps and heavy bleeding did come back. :(

Note: You have a different body than mine, so obviously your mileage may vary

Well I'm technically a doctor, but not the relevant kind... Are your migraines the kind with aura? Because in that case it might be harder to get a pill with oestrogen (increased stroke risk). You can take non-hormonal stuff to reduce bleeding (I do tranexamic acid plus ibuprofen, which means I don't have to sleep on a dark towel anymore). It may be possible to stop your periods with just desogestrel, which is progestin-only, if you're lucky but that might not be the best option skin-wise.

I should look into this, because my migraines are hormone-triggered and probably not adequately controlled, but I don't know if I'm in the insurance system yet. My hormones have also decided to give me ovulation bleeding this cycle, which has happened maybe twice before. Umm, thanks, did you need to do that the day before a long plane trip, hormones?

The pill making my boobs bigger would be my DREAM. I would take it just for that reason. If I took HBC I think I would just skip all periods anyway because I keep on reading about how that's no big deal and I just never want to have one again.

Chipmunk, I honestly assume you're more qualified to give me medical advice or any advice than anyone else ever. You know so many things! I don't get aura with my migraines. I am nervous about mood swings and depression because I am pretty prone to those things anyway. And in general I just hate the idea of being on a daily medication but I'm just so miserable.

_________________"No one with hair so soft and glossy could ever be bad at anything." - Tofulish

SR i went on the pill for the same reasons. its not perfect and there are a few side effects but nothing coming close to the horredous periods i used to have. and although i came in here to complain that it's 3am and cramps woke me up... still nowhere as bad as before and it doesnt happen often.

SR i went on the pill for the same reasons. its not perfect and there are a few side effects but nothing coming close to the horredous periods i used to have. and although i came in here to complain that it's 3am and cramps woke me up... still nowhere as bad as before and it doesnt happen often.

Have you thought about just taking the pill every day and not having periods? If I went on the pill I would never ever ever ever have a period again. Ever ever.

_________________"No one with hair so soft and glossy could ever be bad at anything." - Tofulish

SR i went on the pill for the same reasons. its not perfect and there are a few side effects but nothing coming close to the horredous periods i used to have. and although i came in here to complain that it's 3am and cramps woke me up... still nowhere as bad as before and it doesnt happen often.

Have you thought about just taking the pill every day and not having periods? If I went on the pill I would never ever ever ever have a period again. Ever ever.

Unfortunately it doesn't necessarily work like that. I'm on a progesterone-only pill which is supposwhed to suppress periods completely (there's no sugar pills by design), but my body is like, no, this period thing is what we do - I get a period every couple of months now.

Is it possible that you have endometriosis? Cuz that's what your periods sound like. Have you talked to a doctor about it?

SR i went on the pill for the same reasons. its not perfect and there are a few side effects but nothing coming close to the horredous periods i used to have. and although i came in here to complain that it's 3am and cramps woke me up... still nowhere as bad as before and it doesnt happen often.

Have you thought about just taking the pill every day and not having periods? If I went on the pill I would never ever ever ever have a period again. Ever ever.

No. Because last time I didnt take a 7 day break (didnt want period on holiday) I had 3 weeks of the most godawful cramps. Didn't sleep for a week. That is why I'm suffering now too, I lost the packet after I started taking it and so I opened a new one but obviosly under-calculated how many I'd taken. I have had 2 nights of no sleep.

My period isn't due for another week, but my nipples have been sore for THREE GOD DAMNED DAYS.

_________________"The Tree is His Penis"

The tree is his penis // it's very exciting // when held up to his mouth // the lights are all lighting // his eyes start a-bulging // in unbridled glee // the tree is his penis // its beauty, effulgent -amandabear

Worst cramps I've had in months (years?!) this morning. I really want coffee, but they finally calmed down so I'm not close to tears anymore, and I'm afraid they might come back if I move. I think I'll just sit still for a few hours.

Strawberryrock, you might want to check if you've got endometriosis or fibroid tumors before going on HBC. Years ago, I was prescribed birth control to try to get my heavy bleeding under control, but the estrogen actually made an existing, yet undiagnosed fibroid grow, thus making the bleeding even worse. (Like bleeding three weeks out of a month, and having to wear plastic pants over my pantaloons because a super-mega tampon and overnight pad were not enough to leave the house with.)

I got the fibroid taken care of (shrunk with hormones and then keyhole surgery to remove it) but I still have other fibroids, so I still bleed pretty heavily (like having to empty my divacup hourly on the heaviest days) but it's nowhere near as bad as it was when I was on HBC. I would never take it again. (Partly because of that experience, but also because of other medical stuff that contraindicates it.) Like chipmunk, I take tranexamic acid. I can highly recommend it: it's non-hormonal, and you only have to take it when you actually have your period. I wish someone had told me about it earlier!

_________________Ain't no guarantees in life, and nothing that comes out of my vagina can change that. - Erika Soyf*cker

yeah if you have migraines with aura hormonal bc dramatically increases your risk of stroke, which is sad because the best i ever get in migraine prevention gets me down to 2 a month, both with hormone fluctuations.

i want to eat everything. EVERYTHING.

_________________"T-shirts are not allowed in heaven, Karyn. They don't do casual Fridays." - Amandabear

Hey PPK I need feedback about personal health matters and obviously you guys are who I consult. (I am also going to the doctor soon for an unrelated matter, so I'll probably bring it up with her too, but everyone on the internet is an MD, right?)

I have always HATED the idea of going on hormonal birth control, especially because I wouldn't be using it to prevent pregnancy anyway. But my periods are AWFUL. Super heavy and my cramps are so bad that I can't walk and I just cry for hours and want to die. Also I'm anemic which I'm pretty sure is related to how heavy my periods are. (Like, you know how diva cups are supposed to be able to stay in for 12 hours? I have times when I have to empty mine after less than an hour.) So I am really thinking about going on some sort of birth control pill and never ever having a period again. Except the idea of forking with my hormones terrifies me, and I don't like using medication when it's not necessary, especially from a vegan perspective. But also my skin has been a disaster lately and maybe I could use that one that helps with acne? That would be cool. I don't know. Ok everyone make health decisions for me now?

I have been there. I HATE HBC too. After a 3-4 years of no periods (I was unhealthy), my periods came back with a vengeance that was made a million time worse by my copper IUD. Fortunately, after about three years, it went back to a minor annoyance, but I just got my IUD replaced and the floodgates are...well, floodgates.

I don't like any HBC I've tried. I definitely recommend checking in with a non-PPKer MD, because you could have a hormonal imbalance or something like that.

I've been bleeding for about three weeks nonstop. My contraceptive implant is trickling out a tiny amount of hormones but I can't have it removed until its been confirmed that I don't have cardiac issues, which won't be until the middle of December at the soonest. Ack!

Cramping, day 3. Hopefully my period starts today. Of course, I'm leaving to go out of town tomorrow, but I guess it's not that big of a deal since I use a cup and only have to empty it twice a day. I'd just like my cramps to be over before I have to fly all day tomorrow (they usually stop or at least minimize when the blood starts).

I think the last one was around labor day, so this seems very soon. Previously I was about a 60 day cycle, now we're under 30? c'mon body...I do not appreciate this. I couldn't take fasting for Yom Kippur due to cramps and work and feeling so awful. Ugh. not cool body. Hopefully this calms down before I go out of town for the weekend. I think I might leave work and work from home after my 3pm staff meeting

_________________"I think I am going to turn into a chickpea." ~DakiniLove is like a pineapple, sweet and undefinable~ Piet Hein

I had to get off the bus this morning because i was suddenly overwhelmed by a hot flash. i seriously have never sweat so much just sitting down. then i started feeling nauseous, so i went back home and tah-dah! my period is here! :(

_________________I am not a troll. I am TELLING YOU THE ******GOD'S TRUTH****** AND YOU JUST DON'T WANT THE HEAR IT DO YOU?